“We don’t need to work on much, do we?” Circa said, happily fixing my nails. I didn’t know exactly what they were doing, but he said it was called buffing.

“Except for the hair!” Scarlett said, pulling on the strands of the hairs on my leg with a strip of paper. It was bearable after the first initial pull. Then my skin just kind of got used to it. “She has beautiful color though. It really glows in the right light!”

Paisley was in no way silent as he worked on my face. He was fixing my eyebrows, because apparently, they weren’t supposed to be just left alone. It had to have a shape and cleaned off with stray hairs. These Capitol people and their fuss…

I hadn’t counted the amount of hours that I was in the Remake Center, but it had been a grueling few hours. I was open to it because Aldo had warned me about it even before I was chosen to be a tribute. He just wasn’t specific with what they did. He wouldn’t know what they did to the girls either.

During his time, they had to remove the body hair on his armpits and chest, if any. Aldo had very little hair on his chest, and he was clean to look at even from the start. He said that they injected something into his face, which he didn’t know what the use was for. Aldo said that he only noticed that after they injected it, there was no facial hair that grew. It only started growing months after the Games had ended. Even then, they had to inject more of the stuff into his face again, since he had his Victory Tour and needed to look just as good then.

During these hours of only speaking tiny words of assurances that I was fine, I was able to observe my prep team.

I couldn’t tell what age they were honestly. They could have varied between 20-50 years old and I wouldn’t have known under all that makeup and paint. Circa was the most outrageous of the three, what with his neon-green hair that stood in different directions. His dark skin had silver tattoos of intricate shapes, on his face and arms. His outfit had too many colors to count, and I really didn’t know the names for each color, so I had moved on to Paisley.

Paisley contrasted Circa in a way that he chose pastel colors. While Circa had big, bold colors to attract attention, Paisley looked slightly washed-up. His skin color was a little bit lighter than mine, but he had different shades of blue covered on his eyes, cheeks and lips. He was more conservative in the way he dressed, with his lavender-colored three-piece suit, and his mint green pants. His hair was dyed an almost white shade of blonde, and he had streaks of blue mingled in, just as Aldo had streaks of blonde from the sun.

Scarlett, true to her name was dressed entirely of red. Her stark white face had colors of red on the lips and cheeks. Her eyelids were lined with black kohl, I presumed. I only knew what it was called because they sold the stuff at the apothecary. Even her fingernails were painted the color of blood.

It only reminded me too well of the blood that I had to shed in a week’s time.

“When will I be meeting my stylist?” I asked, feeling the last bits of hair being plucked individually.

“Alta is still finishing her last adjustments of the outfit for the parade!” Scarlett said, and that started them tittering about their excitement for everything Games-related. The parade would definitely be one to watch, what with the new talent of stylists that have been chosen. They said that Alta had been there for a few years now though, since she had been Mari’s stylist back when she was a tribute.

“Gorgeous!” Paisley grinned at me when they were done. They were all grinning at their work of art, I guess. It wasn’t very difficult to please these three, really.

“Thank you. I feel confident enough to go out in the parade as I am!” I wanted to say that I felt like they rubbed me raw, but what I saw was different. My limbs glistened softly, and my skin felt flawless. All that scrubbing before the waxing must have done its job.

“We’ll have Alta come in to see you now!” Circa said, clapping his hands in delight. “Trust me, you’ll look even better after she’s done with you!”

The three of them exited, and all I hoped was that this Alta wouldn’t put me in some skimpy thing with only shells on my breasts and a flimsy net over the other private parts. Being from District 4, the tributes were usually physically fit, and the stylists before had them dressed in next to nothing. Under Alta’s guidance though, the outfits hadn’t seemed so daring for the past few years. They had actually been very pleasing to look at.

Since our industry was fishing, she would have had a lot to work with. Last year, she had the chariot designed in a way that the two tributes looked like they were standing on a giant clamshell. The chariot was a clamshell beautifully designed of glittering jewels, and the tributes had looked like they were a god and goddess come from the water, what with their bodies adorned with pearls.

What she would be planning to do this year, I was extremely curious to know.

Alta came in, and it was the first time that I found a Capitol citizen beautiful. She kept her skin color, which meant that she hadn’t dyed it a different shade. She was a pale white, but almost milky. Her dark hair was tied up on a bun on top of her head, but her features were so soft that it didn’t make her face look severe.

Her face glowed softly, which was probably the only bits of makeup she had on her face. Her eyes were lined with silver and gold. Her lips were the palest pink. She was wearing an all-white jumpsuit that hugged her every curve perfectly. She looked luxurious certainly, but she looked so classy that I found it refreshing compared to the other gaudy looks that the other Capitol citizens had so far exhibited.

“My name is Alta,” she said in a commanding voice. “I am glad to service you for the duration of your stay.”

She made it sound like I was here because I personally intended to be here. “I’m Serena, but you must already know that.”

She nodded, as she circled me slowly. I was stark naked, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable. There really was no point to it, and besides, back home, most of us walked half-naked all the time when there wasn’t school, it really didn’t matter. Living by the seaside just made it useless to have a lot of layers of clothes on, since we could just dive into the water at any probably time.

“The curling of your hair is beautiful, that’s why I had only asked them to freshen the curls and add a few strings of gold and blue intertwined.” I nodded. I didn’t know what I looked like. There were no mirrors inside, so I would have to trust what she was saying.

“Put on your robe and let’s talk in the sitting room, shall we?” she said kindly, giving a smile and handing the robe.

I followed her out and she was already sitting comfortable on one of the chaise lounges by the window. The city was beautiful, but I couldn’t help but feel resentful for how the districts lived lives where they had to work not only for themselves, but also for the Capitol. The Capitol had everything that they wanted at their whim, while we had to scrape by everyday, earning every meal fairly.

There was a meal set for two next to Alta, who had pressed a few buttons. Without bothering to feel the unjust feelings I had for the Capitol, I ate the food that was laid out. I had to be thankful. The Capitol had a preference for certain districts, and mine was included. My life was relatively easier than the other districts.

“I plan to make you a mermaid, Serena,” Alta said serenely, smiling as she bit a slice of chicken. “My partner stylist, Beagan, and I decided on the mystical wonders of the ocean this year. You will be the beautiful mermaid and young Xavier will be the warrior of the seas, with a trident in hand, with nets of silver draped over the two of you. It will look marvelous.”

After having our meal, I was directed into a separate room for fitting. The outfit was the most breathtaking one I have ever seen. I couldn’t have imagined it on my own. It was a long tight dress, with gossamer fabric for the top half, while the trail of the gown kept going on, with a certain gloss that a marlin would have. I was squeezed into it, as the whole thing was skintight until my knees, where the rest of my supposed tailfin would trail on. The top was long-sleeved, with the flesh colored area until my waist, with embroidered patterns creatively sewn on, to make me appear naked the top half, but strategically placed not to reveal anything.

The waist down, my tail began. It replicated the shimmering quality of fish scales so beautifully. Glittering pieces expensive metals were all over, forming the train. My hair was perfectly styled to make me look like a mermaid. This was probably the vision of one so glamorous, surely.

They started work on my face. They lined my eyes with shimmering colors, and highlighted my cheekbones and forehead to glow. My lips were glossy and shiny, and I looked fresh and clean out of the water.